1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silicone polymer material comprising at least one metal trace and a process of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,592 “Process for the Metallization of Polymer Materials and Products Thereto Obtained” to Lucien D. Laude a positive metallization process for metallizing a polymer composite piece containing a polymer material and oxide particles is disclosed, the oxide particles being made of one or more oxides, comprising three successive steps. The first step consists of the irradiation of a surface area of a polymer piece to be metallized with a light beam emitted by an excimer laser. The polymer piece is made from a polymer material and oxide particles. The oxide particles are made from one or more oxides. The second step consists of immersing the irradiated polymer piece in at least one autocatalytic bath containing metal ions. The immersion induces the deposit of the metal ions onto the irradiated surface area to form a metal film on the surface area, resulting in the selective metallization of the surface area of the polymer piece. The third step consists of thermally processing the metallized polymer piece to induce diffusion of the deposited metal film into the polymer material of the polymer piece. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,592 is incorporated herein by reference.
Lucien D. Laude, et al. report that excimer lasers are effective tools in engraving ceramics and polymers, changing irreversibly the surface of the irradiated material, and restricting these effects to specific areas of interest. See LD. Laude, K. Kolev, C. Dicara, and C. Dupas-Bruzek, “Laser Metallization for Microelectronics for Bio-applications,” Proc. of SPIE vol. 4977 (2003), pp 578-586.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,155 “Visual Prosthesis and Method of Using Same” to Mark S. Humayun, et al. a visual prosthesis is disclosed comprising means for perceiving a visual image, the means producing a visual signal output in response thereto; retinal tissue stimulation means adapted to be operatively attached to a retina of a user; and wireless visual signal communication means for transmitting said visual signal output to the retinal tissue stimulation means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,643 “Electronic Unit integrated Into a Flexible Polymer Body” to Peter a. Krulevitch, et al. a method of fabricating an electronic apparatus is disclosed comprising the steps of providing a silicone layer on a matrix, providing a metal layer on said silicone layer, providing a second layer of silicone on said silicone layer, providing at least one electronic unit connected to said metal layer, and removing said electronic apparatus from said matrix wherein said silicone layer and said second layer of a silicone provide a spherical silicone body.
J. Delbeke, et al. demonstrate that silicone rubber biocompatibility is not altered by the metallization method as described by Laude in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,592. See V. Cince, M. A. Thil, C. Veraart, I. M. Colin and J. Delbeke “Biocompatibility of platinum-metallized silicone rubber: in vivo and in vitro evaluation,” J. Biomater. Sci. Polymer Edn, vol. 15, no. 2, pp 173-188 (2004).
There is a need and a high desire for a soft and biocompatible polymer layer with high insulation properties containing embedded very fine metal traces. There is further a need and a high desire for an economical and ecological process of manufacturing such polymer layers.